Peoples & Nations — Anakalypsis

Amalekites

Descendants of Amalek, grandson of Esau (Gen 36:12). The first enemy to attack Israel after the Exodus.

Negev/Sinai

Ammonites

Descendants of Ben-ammi, son of Lot (Gen 19:38). Northeast of the Dead Sea.

Ammon/Transjordan

Amorites

A Canaanite people (Gen 10:16). One of the most powerful pre-Israelite groups in Canaan.

Canaan/Transjordan

Anakim

A tall people descended from Anak. The spies reported them as giants in the land (Num 13:33).

Hebron/Southern Canaan

Arameans

Descendants of Aram son of Shem (Gen 10:22-23). Syria/Aram was Israel's frequent neighbor and rival.

Syria/Aram

Assyrians

Descendants of Asshur son of Shem (Gen 10:22). Built one of the ancient world's great empires.

Assyria/Mesopotamia

Babylonians

The Chaldean/Babylonian empire destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC. Nebuchadnezzar is the key figure.

Babylonia/Mesopotamia

Canaanites

Descendants of Canaan son of Ham (Gen 10:15-19). Occupied the promised land before Israel.

Canaan

Cushites

Descendants of Cush son of Ham (Gen 10:6-8). A powerful African people south of Egypt.

Ethiopia/Nubia

Edomites

Descendants of Esau/Edom, Jacob's twin brother (Gen 25:30, 36:1-43). Perpetual rivals of Israel.

Edom/Seir

Egyptians

Descendants of Mizraim son of Ham (Gen 10:6,13-14). Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt.

Egypt

Elamites

Descendants of Elam son of Shem (Gen 10:22). An ancient kingdom east of Mesopotamia.

Elam/Persia

Girgashites

A Canaanite people (Gen 10:16). One of the seven nations of Canaan.

Canaan

Gomerites

Descendants of Gomer son of Japheth (Gen 10:2-3).

Asia Minor

Greeks

The Greek-speaking world that shaped the NT era. Paul's mission to the Gentiles was largely to Greek-speaking peoples.

Greece/Mediterranean

Hebrews

Descendants of Eber, great-grandson of Shem (Gen 10:21,24-25). Abraham is called "the Hebrew" (Gen 14:13).

Canaan/Near East

Hittites

Descendants of Heth, second son of Canaan (Gen 10:15). From Abraham buying the cave of Machpelah to the great Hittite empire.

Canaan/Asia Minor

Hivites

A Canaanite people (Gen 10:17). The Gibeonites who tricked Joshua were Hivites.

Canaan

House of Joseph

Descendants of Joseph son of Jacob. Split into Ephraim and Manasseh, dominant in the northern kingdom.

Central hill country

Ishmaelites

Descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son by Hagar (Gen 16:15, 25:12-18). Twelve tribes.

Arabian peninsula

Israelites

Descendants of Jacob/Israel. The covenant people chosen through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Canaan/Israel

Jebusites

A Canaanite people (Gen 10:16) who held Jerusalem until David captured it.

Jerusalem

Kenites

A semi-nomadic people. Moses' father-in-law Jethro was a Kenite (Judg 1:16). Allied with Israel.

Negev/Sinai

Kittim

Descendants of Javan through Kittim (Gen 10:4).

Cyprus/Mediterranean

Ludim

Descendants of Mizraim (Gen 10:13). An African people.

North Africa

Medes

Descendants of Madai son of Japheth (Gen 10:2). The Medes became a major empire.

Media/Persia

Midianites

Descendants of Midian, Abraham's son by Keturah (Gen 25:2). Moses lived among them; later Israel defeated them.

Midian/Arabian desert

Moabites

Descendants of Moab, son of Lot (Gen 19:37). East of the Dead Sea. Ruth was a Moabitess.

Moab/Transjordan

People of Javan

Descendants of Javan son of Japheth (Gen 10:2,4). The Hebrew word for Greece.

Greece/Ionia

People of Magog

Descendants of Magog son of Japheth (Gen 10:2). Associated with Gog in Ezekiel 38-39.

North

People of Meshech

Descendants of Meshech son of Japheth (Gen 10:2).

Asia Minor

People of Put

Descendants of Put son of Ham (Gen 10:6). Generally identified with Libya.

Libya/North Africa

People of Tiras

Descendants of Tiras son of Japheth (Gen 10:2).

Thrace

People of Tubal

Descendants of Tubal son of Japheth (Gen 10:2).

Asia Minor

Perizzites

One of the pre-Israelite peoples of Canaan, frequently listed alongside the Canaanites.

Canaan

Persians

The Persian empire under Cyrus freed Israel from Babylonian captivity. God called Cyrus his anointed (Isa 45:1).

Persia/Iran

Philistines

Traced to Casluhim son of Mizraim (Gen 10:14). Dominated the southern coastal plain.

Coastal Canaan

Rephaim

An ancient race of tall/mighty people. Og king of Bashan was the last of the Rephaim (Deut 3:11).

Canaan/Transjordan

Romans

The empire that ruled the world when Christ was born. Crucified Jesus, destroyed the Temple in AD 70.

Rome/Mediterranean

Samaritans

Mixed population settled in the northern kingdom after the Assyrian exile. Worshipped at Mount Gerizim. Jesus engaged them (John 4).

Samaria

Sidonians

First son of Canaan was Sidon (Gen 10:15). The Sidonians were the great maritime traders of antiquity.

Phoenicia

Tribe of Asher

Descendants of Asher son of Jacob. Rich coastal territory.

Northwestern Israel

Tribe of Benjamin

Descendants of Benjamin, youngest son of Jacob. Small but fierce. Saul and Paul were Benjamites.

Between Judah and Ephraim

Tribe of Dan

Descendants of Dan son of Jacob. Originally coastal, migrated north to Laish.

Coastal/Northern Israel

Tribe of Ephraim

Descendants of Ephraim son of Joseph. The leading tribe of the northern kingdom, sometimes used as a synonym for Israel.

Central hill country

Tribe of Gad

Descendants of Gad son of Jacob. Settled east of the Jordan with Reuben.

Transjordan

Tribe of Issachar

Descendants of Issachar son of Jacob. Territory in the fertile Jezreel Valley.

Central Israel/Jezreel

Tribe of Judah

Descendants of Judah son of Jacob. The royal tribe, from which David and the Messiah come.

Judah

Tribe of Levi

Descendants of Levi son of Jacob. The priestly tribe, given no territorial inheritance but 48 cities.

No territory (priestly cities)

Tribe of Manasseh

Descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph. Half-tribe east of Jordan, half-tribe west.

Central/Transjordan

Tribe of Naphtali

Descendants of Naphtali son of Jacob. Territory in upper Galilee.

Northern Israel/Galilee

Tribe of Reuben

Descendants of Reuben, firstborn of Jacob. Settled east of the Jordan.

Transjordan

Tribe of Simeon

Descendants of Simeon son of Jacob. Territory absorbed into Judah.

Southern Judah

Tribe of Zebulun

Descendants of Zebulun son of Jacob. Territory between the Sea of Galilee and the coast.

Northern Israel